Well, you can pretty much use this slide for anything you feel like calling "Epic Ball"
Quickie:
Ultimate Frisbee with a giant exercise ball and some variations.
Supplies:
- Exercise ball
How to Play:
Divide your group into two teams. Have one team "kick off" to the other team (you can actually punt a giant exercise ball). The students are able to pass the ball to one another. One a catch is made, the student who caught it is not allowed to take more than one step. Also, a ball can we swatted out of the air and can also be hit while someone is catching it. The ball cannot be touched once it has been caught and is someone's hands before they throw it. If the ball touches the ground it switches possession and the other team may pick it up and begin throwing it towards their end zone. A team scores when they get the ball in their endzone.
ProTips:
- Smaller/Younger students may get plowed over by an incoming exercise ball. Tell your leaders to keep an eye out for these small fry and try to include them when possible (they won't be passed to often).
- Our ball said it wasn't safe to sit on (which means it was a cheaper ball) it held up fine though and while we weren't looking two students were sitting on it. So feel free to buy cheap and expect greatness.
- Consider blowing the ball up once you get to your location. It might require time & planning ahead but it also might not fit in your car fully inflated.
- Send out a tweet or FB status ahead of time that you hope you can get the ball in your car.
- Take the time to make sure your teams are even in size and skill and athleticism.
- Consider designating someone to take pictures. This can be a great game to publicize.
Variations:
#1
We played this inside a gym which made endzones difficult. The gym did have blue pads on the wall located underneath the basketball hoops to keep players from getting injured. We called those goals and had goalies guarding the blue pads. If the ball touched it, it was a point. A tape outline would work just as well if you are playing indoors and have painters tape.
#2
Another youth group that I know of that plays this game puts a barrel on each end of the room and on the barrels sit a smaller exercise ball. They have a goalie and a ring on the floor (marked with tape) around the barrel. A goalie is assigned to stand inside of the ring and protect the exercise ball. If a team's exercise ball is knocked off the barrel - either by the ball or by the goalie accidentally bumping into it, the other team gets a point. No one else aside from the goalie is allowed in this circle. The setup for this design is more involved and while complications to a game don't always improve the game... we love this dynamic and think it's definitely an improvement.